The present invention relates generally to test equipment, and more particularly, to an automatic network analyzer that measures continuous wave radio frequency microwave driven transfer characteristics of nonlinear devices and simultaneously calculates and displays corresponding noise driven transfer characteristics and noise power ratio (NPR).
Previously, to obtain CW and noise transfer characteristics, including noise power ratio (NPR), two separate sets of test equipment were required, including one for CW measurements and a separate one for noise measurements. Equipment required for noise measurements includes power meters, spectrum analyzers and noise spectrum generating equipment. Simulation of noise parameters may be accomplished with the use of a separate communication software program on a separate computer.
In order to simplify the testing equipment, it would be advantageous to have an automatic network analyzer that includes both noise and noise power ratio measurement capability.
Tile present invention provides for a piece of test equipment comprising an automatic network analyzer that measures continuous wave (CW) radio frequency (RF) microwave driven transfer characteristics of nonlinear devices and simultaneously calculates and displays corresponding noise driven transfer characteristics and noise power ratio (NPR). The automatic network analyzer combines the functionality of a conventional automatic network analyzer with the ability to calculate noise parameters that otherwise would have to be measured using separate test equipment.
The automatic network analyzer employs software or firmware that uses closed form equations to exactly calculate noise parameters. This is done in real-time as CW measurements are taken. Integrating the ability to make these noise calculations and display results of the calculations simultaneously with the CW measurements allows hardware designers the ability to view results of adjustments to devices under test as they are made. This is done with one piece of integrated test equipment. No other known automatic network analyzer can view CW measurements and calculated noise data simultaneously.
The equations are preferably provided in firmware employed in the test equipment and use exact closed form equations to obtain predicted noise data. To obtain noise results using currently available test equipment, they must be either measured or simulated. Measurement normally requires separate equipment set-up. Simulation also normally requires separate equipment and software. Both of these testing endeavors can be expensive and time consuming. The present automatic network analyzer provides a user a way to see noise data in real time and allows for decreased test and troubleshoot time during design and production of nonlinear devices, for example.